Vandana Shiva: Teachers for a Living World

Gandhi once burned British cloth imported from the mills of Manchester
to reveal the power of the indigenous spinning wheel; and led the
famous Salt March to underscore the capacities of all Indians (in fact,
all human beings) to live autonomously, depending on the support of
themselves and each other while throwing off the shackles of global empire.

Renowned food and anti-globalization activist Vandana Shiva’s Bija Vidyapeeth (University of the Seed), co-founded with Satish Kumar in 2001, is grounded on the four Gandhian principles of non-violence: swaraj (self-rule), swadeshi (home-spun), satyagraha (truth force), and savodaya (the uplifting of all).

Inspired by these principles, this university grown on a farm preserves a wild diversity of indigenous seeds in cooperation with thousands of farmers across India and the world, committed to the organic principles of working with Mother Earth—rather than waging war on her with chemicals.

“Gandhi and Globalization” is a course co-taught annually at Bija Vidyapeeth for ten short, intense days in November and December. Vandana Shiva, Satish Kumar (founder of Schumacher College in England), and Samdhong Rimpoche (the first Prime Minister of Independent Tibet) designed this course for students coming from all continents, speaking in multiple tongues, and joined by a shared passion for both Gandhi and the end of the era of globalization or neo-colonialism.

During the last three years, I have had the privilege of joining these three great teachers in the fabulous intellectual and moral adventure of co-teaching this course with them.

“Gandhi and Globalization” is one among a range of courses offered by Bija Vidyapeeth to demonstrate that Gandhi’s relevance grows even as globalization strangulates indigenous traditions of teaching, learning, living, and celebrating life and death.

Interested?

In an exchange of letters with a dear friend, Wendell Berry explains
why his writing is only a small part of the movement against greed and
waste.

Schools, fresh foods, and memories from India. Madhu Suri Prakash reflects on the culinary traditions of her family.

Winona LaDuke: How Native farmers and gardeners are working to preserve their agricultural heritage.

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